October 2011 To Bring The Best Gaming Tablet Yet

Possibly.  It is at least a serious contender.  All gaming systems require a few vital things: speed, great video, memory and plenty of storage for all of your games.  In the world of Android tablets, these elements are usually in short supply, especially at a reasonable price.  Archos is trying to change that with their G9 Android tablets.

The entry-level Archos G9 tablets will start hitting stores worldwide on September 30th, 2011 (available for pre-order on September 20^th) with the following configuration: Archos 80 G9

• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• 8 GB flash storage
• Retail price of $299 US

• OMAP 4 dual-core processor up to 1.5 GHz
• 10.1 inch multi-touch widescreen (four point)
• Android Honeycomb 3.2  with Android Market
• Adobe Flash 10.3 support
• 1080p HD video with HDMI out for mirrored output
• Storage capacity of 250GB
• Built-in GPS, compass and G-sensor
• WiFi and Bluetooth
• HD front camera (720p encoding)
• Microphone
• Kickstand
• Etc., etc., etc.
• Check out the impressive full list of tech specs for the 101.
• Retail $469 US

Archos G9 tablets also come with a suite of Google mobile applications including:

• Google Talk with video chat
• Gmail
• YouTube
• Google Maps with Street View and Navigation
• Google Calendar (beta)

With 250 GB to store games and media, you have to wonder what formats are supported.  Well, just about every format is supported.

To get the best multimedia experience on the G9 tablets Archos have replaced the standard Android multimedia apps with the Archos multimedia app suite: 12 years of multimedia experience distilled into Video, Music and Photo apps. Able to decode Full HD (H.264 HP, 1080p) videos and with massive codec, format and subtitle support – the days of converting video are over.

See the full list of supported formats and codecs

Plus the 250 GB storage is a hybrid configuration to save battery life.

 “Wanting to give users the best of both worlds, Archos paired the Seagate Momentous Thin hard drive with a dedicated 4GB flash caching system. This Archos engineered hybrid solution offered on all Archos G9 hard drive tablets is designed to limit spinning and to keep the drive powered down when not in use, which will protect it when on the go as well as preserve battery life.”

The dual-core 1.5 GHz G9 series will be available in stores and online in October with the following recommended retail price:

• Archos 80 G9 16GB  – 1.5 GHz at $329
• Archos 80 G9 250GB – 1.5 GHz at $369
• Archos 101 G9 16GB – 1.5 GHz at $399
• Archos 101 G9 250GB – 1.5 GHz at $469

All of the G9 tablets are also upgradable to 3G connectivity by simply plugging in the Archos 3G Stick.

Plus – they all come with Angry Birds pre-loaded so you can immediately start taking down those smug little egg-stealing pigs.

For more details on the Archos G9 tablets visit www.archos.com or follow Archos on Facebook and Twitter.

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DeathSpank: The Baconing Review (Xbox 360)

Game Review: The Baconing
Release: August 31, 2011
Genre: Action Adventure RPG
Developer: Hothead Games
Available Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Windows PC, Mac
Players: 1 – 2 Local Only
MSRP:  1200 MS Points / $14.99
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Website: www.thebaconing.com

DeathSpank is back in a sort of new stand alone adventure based on a true(ish) story, which is really the third installment of the life and times of DeathSpank, hero to the downtrodden.  The Baconing picks up where we left off at the end of DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue.  DeathSpank has collected all of the Thongs which were each imbued with special powers, and is now tasked with destroying each of them, as they tend to corrupt the wearer with their power.  Each thong must be taken to a special location where there is Bacon Fire and flung (or shot) into the flames, because as we all know, this is the only true way to destroy a magically imbued thong.

Yes, it’s all very silly, and very fun.

Continue to complete article on Platform Nation

Dead Island Map App Coming To Apple AppStore Sept 6, 2011

As if I needed one more reason to purchase Dead Island, BradyGames comes along with the Dead Island Map App.  This is the only authorized app for Dead Island and will be released on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 to coincide with the game’s release in North America.  Think of it as your personal tour guide to one of this year’s hottest gaming vacation spots.  Grab it for only $2.99 on Tuesday at the Apple AppStore.

(Check out more screenshots in the Gallery below.)

The app was developed in conjunction with publisher Deep Silver, and contains detailed maps of every square mile of Banoi Island, a resort paradise gone horrifyingly wrong. The maps are scrollable and zoomable, turning iPads, iPhones and iPod Touches into handy navigational tools. The app also pinpoints the location of every collectible ID Card, Banoi Herald excerpt, and Investigation Tape—more than 150 items total! Each item is accompanied by a screenshot detailing the location and descriptive text to guide users to the exact spot in question. The app also features an Objective Complete check box that allows users to track which items have been located and which ones remain undiscovered. An interactive Legend allows users to toggle on/off any of the collectible types and show/hide hidden or found items. Official Dead Island music immerses users in the mysterious and dangerous atmosphere of the game.

Dead Island Map App Features:

• Explorable maps of every area in the game
• Locations of all collectibles, including:
• ID Cards
• Banoi Herald excerpts
• Investigation Tapes
• Objective Completion tracking
• Official music from the game

Want more Platform Nation Dead Island coverage?  Look here.

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Due to popular demand – Trainz – the ultimate train simulator – is now available for Macintosh.  This has to be the best train set ever, plus it doesn’t use up all the free space in the basement.

Trainz allows you to build and operate the railroad of your dreams, and from the screen shots, the simulator looks gorgeous.

Continue to complete article on Platform Nation

Game Review: Inkub (WiiWare)
Release: December 20, 2010
Genre: Action, Strategy
Developer: Cosmonaut Games
Available Platforms: Wii, iPhone
Players: 1
MSRP: 500 Wii Points ($5 US)
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone (Cartoon Violence)
Website: http://inkub.cosmonautgames.com

“In a strange and distant world you will have to lead a bionic vegetative growth enterprise.  The objective of the game is to defend an incubator containing a growing specimen.  To do this, you will be provided with different weapons and powers that will help you destroy, pause, or block these enemies. These threats will try to enter the incubator through the Plasma tubes that connect it with the life-giving energy that makes them grow.  Each of the enemies will have special features (speed, resistance, range) and, likewise, the weapons and blockers will have other features (damage, range, speed…).  A total of 8 different weapons will be available, all of them upgradeable, which you will obtain as you advance through the 40 rounds that make up the game.  The whole system is sustained by energy. Therefore, using that energy, you will be able to acquire and upgrade all of the available weapons. You can obtain energy by constantly improving the energy cells that appear on each round.”

That is how Cosmonaut Games describes their recent WiiWare release of Inkub.  You are basically guarding an clear plastic box in which is a “specimen” for you to protect.  It will be attacked by dust balls and similarly irrelevant “enemies” via the hamster tubes connected to the box.  As you earn energy and money over time you purchase or upgrade weapons to place in the tubes to fend off the dust balls and such.

Progression through the levels presents more tubes in varying configurations and more enemies.  It’s very straight forward, and like Othello, it takes about a minute to learn how to play.

The game plays well and the controls are easy and intuitive.  Complete with a full orchestral score, the music fits the setting very nicely.

The biggest problem with this game is that it’s just not fun or exciting.  The pace is slow and unchallenging – and fending off dust balls from a nondescript “specimen” just isn’t very inspiring.  It’s not a bad game – but it’s also not a fun game.

After spending several nap-inducing hours with the vegetative Inkub, I would have to recommend skipping this title unless among your favorite games are titles such as Watching Paint Dry, See The Grass Grow, Mannequin Dance  and Just Press A.  Recently the good folks at Nintendo began offering demos of some titles so if you can grab a free demo of Inkub – try it on for size.  You may find it’s a cure for your insomnia.

• Intuitive Game Controls
• Easy To Learn
• Uninspiring Goals
• Nap-Inducing Action-less Repetition

Final Score: 5 out of 10

Source: Platform Nation